Clock



Jan. 26, 1932. PQ L 1,842,460

CLOCK.

an ina; Filed Jan. s, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CLOCK Original Filed Jan. 6, 1927 2 sheets-Sheet 2 m if:

Patented Jan. 1932 UNITED STAT S PATENT orricr'.

ARTHUR F. POOLE, OI ITH ACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'I'O FOOLE MANUFACTURING CO.

' .INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CLOCK Original application fled January 8, 1927, Serial No. 159,823. Divided and this application filed April 8,

1928. Serial No. 287,944.

This invention relates to clocks, andparticularly to clock frames and assemblies. This application is adivision of my prior copending application Serial Number 159,- 323, filed January 6, 1927, and which has resulted in Patent No. 1,756,437 granted on April 29, 1930, for clocks and similar mechanisms.

An object of the invention is to improve and simplify clock constructions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for clock mechanisms and clock trains which may be utilized with a transparent enclosure or casing to enable operation of the clock mechanism to be observed; which will present an attractive appearance; and which will be simple, easily assembled, and relatively inexpensive.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved clock frame construction, with which the disengagement of gears from the shafts when the mechanism is taken apart or assembled may be avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved electrically controlled clock with which the batteries will be effectively concealed; and with which the batteries may be replaced by fresh batteries in a simple and rapid manner.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, andthe novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a clock constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional elevation of a portion of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a sectional plan, with the section tBaken approximately along the line 1-4 of Fig. 5 is a diagram of the electrical connections of the clock;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation ofthe clock mechanism, the section being taken approximately along the line 6--6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan, similar to Fig. 4, but taken approximately along the line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

gig. 8 is a perspective of the filler block; an

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation through a portion of the clock mechanism, and illustrating an improvement in the clock frame construction which facilitates assembly and disassembly of the mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the mechanism may be supported upon any suitable base 1 and enclosed by an inverted transparent hell 2. A cylindrical tubular standard or pillar 3 (Figs. 2-and 3) is received at one end in an opening 4 of the base 1, its movement through the opening 4 being limited by the rib or corrugation 5 provided peripherally in the standard a short distance from its lower end, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower end of the tube or standard 3 is flanged inwardly as at 6, so as to confine therein a plate 7. A plate 8 fits over thelower end of the opening 4, and one or more screws 9 are passed through the plate 8 and threaded into the plate 7 so as to hold the tube or standard within the opening 4t and extending upright from the base 1. A battery unit 10, such as one of the dry cell type, is mounted within the tube or standard 3, with an end contact terminal 11 uppermost therein, as shown in Fig. 2. A cap 12 fits the upper open end of the tube 3 and holds the battery unit therewithin and compressed against a spring 13 disposed in the lower end of the standard bet-ween the battery unit and the plate 7. The spring 13 grounds the other battery unit terminal to the tube 3 through plate 7.

The cap 12 is preferably made of molded insulating material and is provided with a projecting finger 14 from its under face which is adapted to hook into an aperture 15 in the tube 3 adjacent one end of the latter, so as to confine the cap 12 releasably at one edge to the tube 3. The cap is provided with a conducting strip 16 which may be imbedded therein, this strip extending from a side edge of the cap into the cap and then outwardly through the interior of the lower face of the cap,-'so as to form a spring contact finger 17 which presses, preferably yieldingly, against the terminal 11 of the battery unit and forms an electrical connection therewith. The outer end of the strip 16 may be provided with a latch hump 18 over which may be releasably hooked or latched an end of a contact spzing or member 19, the contact spring ing mounted so that its free end will normally be snapped over the hump 18 and hold the cap 12 upon the tube 3. The contact finger 19,

however, may be sprung laterally to release the hump 18 and permit removal of the cap when a battery is to be inserted or removed.

A pair of electromagnets 20 and 21 are dis-. posed on opposite sides of the tube 3, intermediate the height of the tube, and so as to extend substantially parallel to one another, and transversely of the axis of the tube. The cores at corresponding ends of the magnets are connected to a cross bar 22 which extends crosswise of the tube 3 at one side thereof, the bar 22 bein of magnetic material or material having high permeability. A strap 23 extends partially around the tube 3 on the side opposite the bar 22, and at its ends is connected to the bar 22 in any suitable manner, such as by screw bolts 24 passing through the bar 22 and through bent angular ends 25 of the strap 23 and carrying nuts 26 upon the projecting ends. I

A filler block 27 is disposed between the bar 22 and the adjacent side of the tube 3, so that when the bolts 24 are tightened against the tube, the strap will rigidly clamp the electromagnets to the tube.

The filler block 27 may be of any suitable construction, but preferably it is made of a channel of sheet material disposed with its bottom portion or wall fiat against a face of the bar 22 and with its sides extending edgewise into contact with the periphery of the tube 3. The sides or arms of the channel are cut or notched arcuately so as to receive into them the periphery of the tube 3 and fit closely against the same throughout the most of their length. Such a channel may be easily formed by stamping a flat blank with two opposite edges curved in accordance with the curvature of the periphery of the tube 3, and then bent into the form of a channel with the notched sides of the blank forming the sides of the channel.

A time train 28 (Fi 2) of any suitable construction is mounte on a clock frame 29 formed of spaced plates in the rear of a dial plate 30, and carries the usual hour hand 31 121d minute hand 32a in front of the dial plate.

gear 32 is mounted on the minute hand shaft 33 and isfrictionally clamped against a'shoulder on that shaft by a compression spring 34, as usual in clock mechanisms. The gear 32 is driven by pinion 35, and the latter 'is driven by a reduction train of gears 36 from a ratchet wheel 37 (Fig. 6). An arm 38 (Fig. 2) extends from the upper end pf the tube 3 to the upper edge of the forward plate of the frame 29, being connected to a rearwardly turned car 39 thereof in any suitable manner such as by a screw 40. A suspension element 41 (Fig. 6) is secured to and depends from the arm 38, in the rear of the clock mechanism and the clock frame formed just in front of the pendulum, and carries a forked lateral extension 46 which embraces the pendulum 43, so that the pendulum and crutch will oscillate in unison. The crutch is provided intermediate of its ends with an arm '47 (Fig. 6) which extends in its plane, then laterally therefrom and then arallel to its first section, and the free end of t is arm and the crutch body together serve to rotatably support the ends of a shaft for a drivin ppwl 50 (Fig. 6) acting on the ratchet whee Thus the pawl 50 is pivotally mounted on the crutch which oscillates with the pendulum and serves to propel the ratchet wheel by increments corresponding to the oscillations of the pendulum. Thus the pendulum directly transmits increments of movement to the time tram. A pawl 54 (Fig. 6) prevents retrograde movement of the ratchet wheel.

Qne of the shafts 57 (Fig. 2) of the time train extends forwardly through the dial plate 30 and removably and frictionally carries a second hand 58 for indicating the seconds. I

The means for keeping the pendulum in motion and thereby causing a continued operatlon of the time train will next be described. For this purpose an impulse element 59, which may be in the nature of a gravity arm or lever, is mounted in the clock frame 29 and normally in an approximately horizontal position. The gravity arm ma be formed by stamping it from sheet meta with one end bent angularly thereon so as to form therewith a U, through the arms of which passes a shaft 60 which is mounted in the clock frame 29 and serves as a pivotal mounting for the impulse element or gravity arm.

A small arm 61 extends from the upper edge I III pendulum 43 in a direction of oscillation of the latter, thereby increasing the amplitude .of oscillation of the pendulum.

An armature element 64 is rotatably mounted in the clock frame with the ends of the armature element movable into and out of alinement with the free ends of the cores of the electromagnets 20 and 21. Thus when the clectromagnets are energized, the armature will be rocked about its hearing from the retracted position shown (counterclockwise Fig. 6) in a direction to reduce the air gap between the ends of the armature and the free ends of the electromagnets.

The armature element may be formed of a series of parallel plates spaced apart by suitable studs, and the two outer plates have depending arms 67 which support between them a bearing shaft 68. A bell crank lever 69 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 68, and one end of this bell crank has a latch nose 70 which is engageable with an ear 71 extending laterallyfrom :1 depending branch 72 of the impulse element or arm 59. A tension spring 73 is connected between a laterally extending ear 74 on the bell crank 69 and an ear 75 on one of the arms 67, so as to urge the bell crank 69in a direction to latch the nose 70 beneath the car 71.

A suitable spring (not shown) is connected to the armature to yieldingly urge or bias the armature into a retracted position such as shown. and when the armature is so retracted. it acts through the bell crank latch 69 to hold the impulse element or gravity element 59 poised, with the impulse roller 62 above and out of the path of oscillation of the impulse pin 63. One arm of the bell crank latch 69 is bent angularly as at 81, which bears upon a lever 82 also pivoted at one end upon the shaft 68.

The spring 7 3 tends to rock the latch lever or bell crank 69 in a direction to force the lever 82 in one direction, and movement of the lever 82 in that direction is limited by the engagement of the free end of the lever 82 with a pin 83 projecting from another lever 84. The lever Stat one end is bent into the form of a U, the arms of which are )ivotally mounted upon a shaft 85 carried by the clock frame 29, and downward movement of the lever 84 is limited by its engage frame.

ment with an car 86 (Fig.- 6) of the clock The lever 84 normally rests upon the ear 86,. and the lever 82 bears against the pin 83 which in turn limits the movement of the bell crank latch 69 beyond its latching position shown in Fig. 6.

A dog 87 is pivoted to the free end of the lever 84 so as to. depend therefrom and oscillate freely thereon in a lane arallel to the oscillation of the pendu um. he lower or free end of this dog 87 is provided with two spaced apart pointed ends 88 and 89, Fig. 6, both points being beveled upon both faces, and the point 88 being the longer of the two. These pointed teeth 88 and 89 include between them a notch 90 (Fi 6)' which cooperates with a knife edge 0 :1 lug 91 carried by an arm 92 on the crutch 44, the action between the dog 87 and the knife edge of the lug 91 constituting what is known in this art as a Hipp contact.

As the crutch oscillates back and forth, the lug 91 will rock the dog 87 idly back and forth so long as the lug 91 passes sufliciently beyond the dog to clear it and permit descent of the dog 87 before the lug 91 returns in the oscillation or swing in the reverse direction. The dog 87 is hung at such a point relative to the oscillation of the lug 91 that when the pendulum exceeds a certain minimum amplitude of oscillation, the lug 91 will clear the dog, but when the amplitude drops below this minimum, the lug 91 will not clear the notched end of the dog 87, but will merely pass the shorter point 89 in the free end of the same. Thereupon when the pendulum starts in the reverse direction, the lug 91 and the dog 87 will have a toggle-like action with one another and cause a raising of the lever As the lever 84 rises, its pin 83 will engage with the free end of the lever 82 and rock the same in a direction to rock the bell crank latch 69 out of latching engagement with the impulse element or gravity arm 59, whereupon the latter falls and its impulse roller 62 delivers a driving impulse to the mpulse pin 63, and through the crutch 44 to the pendulum, thus increasing the amplitude or swing of the pendulum beyond the selected minimum.

By having the point 88 of the dog 87 long er than the otherpoint 89, the knife edge of the lug 91 will only engage in the notch 90 when passing thereby in one direction.

The impulse element or gravity arm 59 may be provided with forked arms 93 (Fig. 6) through which is threaded a contact screw 94. At the end of the downward or impulse movement of the arm 59, the contact screw 94 engages with a contact tip 95 carried by the free end of a leaf spring 96. The spring 96 extends along both arms of an L-shaped bracket 97,-and the latter has an opening 98 in its free end through which the Contact tip 95 loosely projects, so as to permit direct engagement of the tip 95 by the screw at the end of the impulse movement of the element or arm 59.

member 19 which is mounted by screws 24 upon the connecting magnetic bar 22 may be T-shaped with the leg or tail of the T forming the free spring contact or latch engaging withthe hump 18 on the cap 12 (Fig.

2), and with a head of the-T extending along the upper edge of the bar 22 and secured at its ends to the bar 22 by the screws 24. .A conducting strip 106 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) is disposed along the lower edge of the bar 22 and secured thereto by another pair of the screws 24. The contact spring and latch member 19 and the strip 106 are insulated from the screws 24 and from the bar 22 by suitable bushings and washers 107, so that the mem ber 19 and strip 106 will be electrically separate from one another and from the bar 22.

One end of the head of the T of member 19 i may be connected by a wire 108 to one terminal of one of the magnets, such as 20, the other terminal of the magnet being connected by a wire 109 to one end of the conducting strip 106. The other end of strip 106 may be connected by a wire 110 to one terminal of the electromagnet 21, the other end or terminal of the magnet 21 being connected as before explained by wire 105 to the contact member 97.

One end of the battery unit 10 is grounded to the tube 3 and through it to the clock frame 29 which mounts the impulse arm 59, so that when the impulse element or arm 59 falls and its scpew 94 engages with the contact tip 95, a circuit will beclosed as follows From the terminal 11 of the battery unit 10 through contact finger 17, conducting strip 16, latch hump 18, contact member 19, wire 108, electromagnet 20, wire 109, strip 106, wire 110, electromagnet 21, wire 105, contact spring 96, contact tip 95, contact screw 94,

impulse element 59, clock frame 29, back to the tube 3, to which is grounded the other end of the battery unit 10. f

When the circuit just described is closed, the electromagnets will be energized and will attract the armature element 64 from the retracted position towards the core ends of the electromagnets. At the time that the impulse element 59 was released by the disengagement of latch nose from the ear 71 of the element 59, the car 71 fell or moved with the element 59 in the direction in which the armature would move when attracted, and thereengagement with the fore as the armature closely approaches.

the attracted position, the latch nose 76 of the bell crank latch 69 will snap past the ear 71 and therefore into latched impulse element 59. This relatching of the bell crank 69 to the impulse element occurs as the armature is approaching its attracted position, and just prior to the completion ofthis relatching of the-bell crank to the impulse arm, the armature element engages with a resilient buffer 112 in'the form of a leaf spring secured to the clock frame. 7

Since the armature element has considerable inertia while moving into attracted position, it will continue to move in the same direction against the action of the buffer 112 for some distance sufiicient to effect a relatching thereof to the element 59, and then it will be given a rebound movement by the buffer 112. This rebound is of sufiicient extent to partially return the armature element and through it partially return the impulse element to which it has been relatched, this re turn being sufficient to carry the contact screw 94 out of contact with the contact member against which it had struck and by which it had been stopped.

This opens the circuit of the electromagnets, and the resulting deenergization of the electromagnets permits a complete return of the armature element to retracted position under the influence of springs not shown. The armature element in returning of course elevates or resets the impulse element in poised or inoperative position, ready for release and reactuation of the pendulum.

It will be noted, Figs. 2 and 9, that the the opening 118a formed in the frame by the striking out of the tongue or ear 117. The gear 32 may be frictionally pressed against a boss or hub of the pinion 118 by the spring 34 as explained hereinbefore. The minute hand shaft may be mounted at its rear end in another plate of the frame 29. An hour hand sleeve or cannon pinion 119- is rotatably mounted on the forward end of the minute hand shaft in front of the tongue or car 117, and the cannon pinion and pinion 118 both mesh with a combination pinion and gear 120 which is mounted by a stud upon the forward face of the forward plate of the frame 29. To remove the minute hand shaft 33 it is merely necessary to remove the frame plate from the rear end of the shaft, remove the minute hand, hour hand and cannon pinion, and then draw the shaft 33 rearwardly out of the ear or tongue 117 without removal of the pinion 118 from the shaft 33, as has heretofore always been necessary. The pinion 118 has been commonly secured to the shaft 33 by a drive lit and after it has been removed a few times it fails to fit tightly and often becomes loose in use with resulting irregularities in the time keeping of the clock or watch. With this construction, however, it is never necessary to remove the pinion 118 in disassembling the clock and therefore it never becomes loose.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In an electric clock, a base, a cylindrical standard arising from said base. a pair of electromagnets, a bar of magnetic material connecting said magnets and passing transversely across and in proximity to said standard, a strap secured at its ends to said bar and passing around the opposite side of said standard to draw said bar and standard toward one another, and a filler block disposed between said bar and standard and having an arcuate surface extending partially in a peripheral direction around and in contact with said standard, whereby when said strap is tightened. said filler block will be-tightly clamped between said bar, strap and standard.

2. In an electric clock, a cylindrical stand ard, a pair of electromagnets disposed on opposite sides of said standard. a bar of magnetic material connecting ends of said magnets and supporting the same and passing transversely of said standard at one side thereof, a strap secured at its ends to said bar and extending in a peripheral direction around the side of said standard opposite said bar, whereby when said strap is tightened it will draw said bar and standard toward one another, a channel member disposed with its bottom wall flat against said bar and having the free longitudinal edges'oi its side arms extending toward and cut arcuately to fit the periphery of said standard for a. considerable arcuate extent, said channel member being disposed between said bar and standard,

58 whereby when said strap is tightened it will clamp said standard to said channel member and said bar.

3. In an electric clock, an upright standard. a pair of electromagnets disposed at opposite sides of said standard, a bar of mag netic material connecting corresponding ends of said magnets and extending transversely across said standard at one side thereof. a

being connected to one of said electromagnets and terminating at its other end in a spring contact member, a battery unit in said standard, means connecting together one terminal of each electromagnet, and means engaging with said battery unit and. said contactmember for holding said battery unit releasably within said standard and establishing a connection therefrom to said electromagnets.

4-. In an electric clock, a tubular upright standard, a .battery unit disposed in said standard and exposing one of its terminals at the upper end of said standard, a cap for said standard, said cap and standard having cooperating interlocking hook portions at one point, said cap having a conducting portion bearing on said battery unit terminal and projecting from said cap ata point spaced from said hooked engagement between said cap and standard, a spring contact mounted on said standard, and having a snapped engagement with said projecting conducting portion for holding said cap releasably on said standard, and circuit connections to said spring contact finger and .to the other terminal of said battery unit.

5. In an electric clock, a tubular casing open at one end, a battery unit in said casing and having one of its terminals exposed at the open end of said casing, a cap of insulating material for saidopen end of said casing,

said casing and cap having releasably interlocking portions at one side of the cap permitting rocking movement of the other side ot' the cap toward and from the casing, a conducting strip secured to said cap and having a spring contact portion engaging with said exposed terminal of the battery unit and having an .outwardly projecting latch portion, a spring contact finger carried by said casing and latching over said latch portion to releasably hold said cap to said casing and forming an electric connection to said exposed terminal of said battery unit, and circuit connections to the other terminal of saidbattery unit and to said last mentioned contact finger.

6. In an electric clock, a base, a tubular standard arising from said base, a pair of electromar nets disposed transversely across opposite sides of said standard, a bar oil-magnetic material connecting adjacentends of said magnets and passing transversely across and in proximity to said standard, means for clamping said bar to said standard, and clock mechanism mounted upon the other adjacent ends of said pair of electromagnets,

Ill

7. In an electric clock, a base, an upstanding pillar on said base, a bar of magnetic material extending transversely across said pillar at a point spaced above said base, means for securing said bar to said pillar, a pair of electromagnets secured to the ends of said bar and extending horizontally "from the same side thereof, and clock mechanism said ar, strap and pillar, and clock mechanism carried by said bar.

9. In an electric clock, a base, an upstanding pillar on said base, a bar of magnetic material extending transversely across said illar at a point s aced-above said base, means or securing sai bar to said pillar, a pair of electromagnets secured to the ends of said bar and extending horizontally from the same side of said bar, clock mechanism mounted on the free ends of said electromagnets, and a brace connecting said mechanism to said pillar at a point spaced from said bar.

10. In an electric clock, a base, an upstandi'ng pillar on said base, a bar of magnetic material, a channel strip secured to a face of said bar, with its bottom wall abutting said bar, the free edges of the sides of said strip bein arcuately concave to fit said pillar with the ar extending transversely across one side of said pillar, a strap secured at its ends to said bar and passing aroundthe op osite side of said pillar to clamp said bar an strip to said pillar, and electromagnets mounted on the ends of said bar, and extending horizontally across opposite sides of said illar.

ARTHUR F POO E. 

